Domestic refrigeration appliance with a specific machinery-chamber boundary wall

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) having a housing ( 2 ), in which is arranged an inner container which bounds an interior ( 3, 4 ) for accommodating foods, and having a machinery chamber ( 12 ), which is separated from the interior ( 3, 4 ) and in which components ( 7  to  11 ) of a refrigeration circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance ( 1 ) are arranged, wherein the machinery chamber ( 12 ) has a boundary wall ( 13 ), on which  7  is arranged a cable-bushing box ( 17 ) for leading at least one cable ( 18 a,  18 b,  18 c) through into the machinery chamber ( 12 ) from outside the machinery chamber ( 12 ), and the box ( 17 ) has an accommodating receptacle ( 19 ) and a cover ( 20 ) for closing the accommodating receptacle ( 19 ), and the cover ( 20 ) is connected in one piece to the accommodating receptacle ( 19 ).

The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance with a housing, in which is arranged an inner container, which bounds an inner chamber for holding food. The domestic refrigeration appliance also comprises a machine chamber that is separated from the inner chamber and in which components of a refrigeration circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance are arranged.

A domestic refrigeration appliance, for example a refrigerator or a freezer or a combined refrigerator/freezer, comprises a refrigeration circuit for bringing about refrigeration in the food storage chamber in the inner container. Said refrigeration circuit generally comprises a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser. These allow cold temperatures to be generated in the inner chamber.

Provision is generally made for the compressor to be arranged in the machine chamber. Provision is also generally made for electronic components and/or collectors for thawed water that is produced to be arranged therein. The machine chamber is generally also bounded by walls.

Cables and/or lines are passed to the components in the machine chamber to supply electrical energy and/or to conduct the refrigerant fluidically. With known embodiments a type of chamber with slotted walls is provided, with the cables and lines being positioned in said slots in the chamber walls. A number of foam parts are then used for sealing on the foam side, enclosing the cables and lines. As a space is generally formed between the inner container and the housing enclosing the inner chamber, into which space thermally insulating material, in particular a foam material, is introduced, this configuration has disadvantages. If foam also enters the chamber during manufacture, when the foam is being introduced into the space, a part closing the chamber is pushed open within manufacturing and assembly tolerances. This is also disadvantageous in respect of sealing.

It is the object of the present invention to create a domestic refrigeration appliance with which lines are passed into the machine chamber with reliable sealing.

This object is achieved by a domestic refrigeration appliance having the features of claim 1.

An inventive domestic refrigeration appliance comprises a housing which encloses an inner container, which bounds an inner chamber for holding food. The domestic refrigeration appliance additionally comprises a machine chamber that is separated from the inner chamber, in which at least some components of a refrigerant circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance are arranged. One important concept of the invention is that the machine chamber has a boundary wall, on which a cable/line bushing box is arranged for the passage of at least one cable or line from outside the machine chamber into the machine chamber. The box has an accommodating receptacle and a cover for closing the accommodating receptacle, the cover being connected as a single piece to the accommodating receptacle. This configuration allows a cable or line to be passed into the machine chamber in such a manner that the box can be kept reliably closed and configured in a sealed manner Even if thermally insulating material, in particular foam material, is introduced between the housing and the inner container during manufacture, the box remains closed. The problems known from the prior art do not occur here.

Provision is preferably made for the connection between the cover and the accommodating receptacle to be a film hinge. This configuration allows extremely effortless movement of the cover. It is also functionally stable for a long period and relatively simple to produce. Such a film hinge is therefore particularly advantageous when the cover is configured as a single piece with the accommodating receptacle.

Provision is preferably made for the box to be configured at least with its accommodating receptacle on an outer face of the boundary wall facing away from the machine chamber and to extend outward from the outer face facing away from the machine chamber. Said box is thus a part that projects outward in a raised manner on the outer face of the boundary wall. This is advantageous in that the useful volume of the machine chamber is not limited as a result. As there is a corresponding space configured anyway between the machine chamber and the housing, into which the thermally insulating material, in particular the foam material, is then introduced, such an additional element in the form of said accommodating receptacle is not in the way in this space. The invention is particularly advantageous with precisely such an arrangement of the box with the accommodating receptacle as the periphery of said accommodating receptacle at least is exposed to the foam material. Precisely the single-piece configuration of the accommodating receptacle with the cover in such a configuration particularly advantageously prevents the box being pushed open by the foam material and the foam material reaching unwanted places.

Provision is preferably made, when the box is in the closed state, for the cover to be arranged partially to face the machine chamber. This also provides a certain protection from the foam material, as the foam material then covers or encloses the accommodating receptacle and to some degree the cover.

Provision is preferably made for the box to be configured as a single piece with the boundary wall. This means that the box is arranged securely in position and the integration of the box in the boundary wall also reduces the number of parts. This also has manufacturing and assembly advantages in particular, as there is no need to produce separate individual parts, which would then be associated with additional outlay.

The boundary wall with the box is preferably made of plastic, in particular as an injection-molded part.

Provision is preferably made for the cover to have an at least partially peripheral rib on a face facing the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state, said rib resting against inner faces of the walls of the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state. Such a configuration means that the closed box is particularly effectively sealed. Not only is a cover constructed which rests on the receptacle but there is at it were an engagement between the cover and the receptacle in the closing direction of the cover so that in particular said peripheral rib also engages in the interior of the volume enclosed by the receptacle and extends therein. Such a configuration also improves positional fixing between the cover and the receptacle.

Provision is preferably made for the cover to have a latching element on an inner face facing the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state, said latching element engaging in a latching mount on an inner face of a first wall of the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state. Such a configuration maintains the closed state of the box in a mechanically more effective manner Said specific configuration and arrangement of the latching element also reduces the force acting on the connecting element, which is preferably configured as a film hinge, between the cover and the accommodating receptacle, when the box is in the closed state. As a result it remains functionally stable for a long period. Provision is preferably made here for said latching element to be arranged on the inner face of the cover immediately adjacent to the film hinge and also for the latching mount to be arranged on the inner face of the first wall of the accommodating receptacle adjacent to the film hinge. This further favors the advantages set out above.

Provision is preferably made for the cover to have a tab-type latching mount on an edge face, in which a latching element on an outer face of a second wall of the accommodating receptacle engages when the box is in the closed state. Said edge face of the cover is preferably one of the edge faces on which the connecting element, in particular the film hinge, is not arranged for connection to the receptacle. Said edge face with the tab-type latching mount is preferably opposite the edge face of the cover on which said connecting element is arranged. This specific configuration then also results in a mechanically fixed coupling of the cover to the receptacle on the opposing side of the connecting element in the closed state so the closed state is maintained at a number of points and thus a number of edge faces.

Provision is preferably made for at least one sealing element with a cable/line bushing to be arranged as a filler in the box. Such a configuration means that the at least one cable or line passed through the box is not exposed or running loose in the interior of the box but is at least partially enclosed and therefore also positionally assisted by said sealing element. Said sealing element also provides improves protection from a foam material. The sealing element is therefore also a support for the cables or lines passing through and the sealing element encloses the periphery of the cable or line entirely. This means that the sealing element has a through passage in the form of an opening or hole, through which the at least one cable or line then extends.

Provision is preferably made for the sealing element to be arranged with a precise fit at least in two spatial directions in an inner chamber of the box. This means that its position is fixed in relation to the cover and the receptacle at least in these two spatial directions when the box is in the closed state. Provision is preferably made here for the sealing element to be arranged with a precise fit in three spatial directions in the interior of the box. This means that virtually the whole volume provided in the box is filled by the sealing element and only the at least one bushing for the cable or line is present.

Provision is preferably made for the cover to have a groove for holding a further boundary wall of the machine chamber on an outer face facing away from an inner chamber of the box. This allows a very simple connection between two separate boundary walls and the cover then also serves as a multifunctional part here. Not least such a configuration also means that the further boundary wall extends into said groove in the cover and extends beyond the dimensions of the cover so that the support for said further boundary wall provides further pressure on further components and retention of said further boundary wall on the cover counter to an opening direction. This further improves the prevention of unwanted opening of the cover.

Provision is preferably made for the groove in the cover to be oriented vertically when the cover is in the closed state. The groove on the outer face of the cover is preferably configured as a slot-like configuration projecting in a raised manner from the outer face, into which the further boundary wall then extends.

Provision is preferably made for this groove in the cover to open at both ends into external grooves configured to hold the further boundary wall when the cover is in the closed state. This creates as it were a continuous and directly transitioning overall groove, into which the further boundary wall can extend beyond the dimensions of the cover, being thus held reliably in position outside the cover.

Provision is preferably made for the further boundary wall to be a cardboard wall, which is thus made of a cardboard material. This can be relatively thin but still fully functional and its cost is minimal.

Provision is preferably made for the boundary wall with the box to be made of plastic. The boundary wall with the box is preferably a vertical side wall that bounds the machine chamber.

Provision is made in particular for a cable/line bushing channel of the box to be oriented at an angle between 30° and 70°, in particular between 30° and 60°, to a vertical. Such an angled insertion has advantages in respect of unwanted and extensive kinking of the cable or line.

Provision is made in particular for the preferred angling of the box at an angle between 30° and 70°, preferably between 30° and 60°, to a vertical to cause the cover also to be arranged partially within the machine chamber and partially outside the machine chamber in a space between the machine chamber and the inner container or even the housing. This arrangement, in which as it were the further boundary wall brings about such division of the cover into a subregion extending within the machine chamber and a subregion extending outside the machine chamber, maintains the reliable closed position and the part of the cover then outside the machine chamber is additionally pushed by the then direct action of the foam material.

Further features of the invention will emerge from the claims, figures and description of the figures. The features and feature combinations cited above in the description and the features and feature combinations cited below in the description of the figures and/or simply illustrated in the figures can be used not only in the combination specified in each instance but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention. Embodiments of the invention that are not described and illustrated specifically in the figures but emerge and can be produced by means of separate feature combinations from the described embodiments should therefore also be considered to be included and disclosed.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive domestic refrigeration appliance;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective rear view of the domestic refrigeration appliance according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective enlarged representation of the domestic refrigeration appliance in the region of the machine chamber;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective sectional representation of the view in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a different perspective of the perspective sectional representation according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of an enlarged representation of the partial section in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective representation of a lateral boundary wall with an integrated cable/line bushing box in the opened state;

FIG. 8 shows an enlarged representation of a partial section from FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows the representation in FIG. 8 viewed from an opposing direction; and

FIG. 10 shows two exemplary perspective representations of sealing elements for use in the box.

In the figures identical elements or those of identical function are shown with identical reference characters.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of a domestic refrigeration appliance 1, which has a housing 2 configured as an outer housing. The housing 2 encloses an inner container which bounds two different separate inner chambers 3 and 4, the inner chambers 3, 4 being configured to hold food. By way of example the lower inner chamber 4 is closed by a door 5. In order to be able to see inside it, the upper inner chamber 3 is shown without such a door though it is actually present on the domestic refrigeration appliance 1.

The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 can be a refrigerator or a freezer or a combined refrigerator/freezer. It comprises at least one refrigeration circuit, by means of which a cold temperature can be established appropriately in the inner chambers 3 and 4. The refrigeration circuit comprises a refrigerant compressor 6, as shown in FIG. 2 which shows a perspective view of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 from the rear. The refrigeration circuit also comprises in particular a condenser and an evaporator. The refrigerant circulates in the circuit here.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerant compressor 6 is arranged in a rear lower region of the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. Said region represents a machine chamber 12. It is separated from the inner chambers 3 and 4. The machine chamber 12 is configured to hold components of the refrigeration circuit.

During operation the refrigerant compressor 6 generates waste heat which is used to evaporate thawed water, which is collected, in the domestic refrigeration appliance 1. To this end the domestic refrigeration appliance 1 comprises an apparatus 7, which is configured to hold thawed water and subcomponents of which at least are also arranged in the machine chamber 12. To this end a drip tray 8 of the apparatus 7, which is configured to collect thawed water, is arranged in the machine chamber 12. It is arranged as it were above the refrigerant compressor 6 so that there is thermal coupling to evaporate the collected thawed water.

The apparatus 7 also comprises a collection tray 9 for the thawed water, which is connected to the drip tray 8 by way of a connecting line 10.

The apparatus 7 also comprises a carrier tray 11, which is provided to hold the collection tray 9 and which is also arranged in the machine chamber 12.

The machine chamber 12 is bounded by boundary walls. To this end a first lateral boundary wall 12, representing a vertical wall, is provided in the enlarged partial representation in FIG. 3. Further boundary walls 14 and 15 for the inner container are provided, with a lateral boundary wall opposite the first boundary wall 13 and not shown in FIG. 3 also being provided. These lateral boundary walls, of which only the boundary wall 13 is shown in FIG. 3, are single-piece plastic parts, produced in particular as injected-molded parts. The further boundary walls 14 and 15 in contrast are cardboard walls.

It should also be noted that a thermally insulating material, in particular a foam, is introduced into a space 16 between the machine chamber 12 and the inner container, which bounds the inner chambers 3 and 4, and also into the space between said inner container and the housing 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, one or more cables for supplying electrical energy to the components arranged in the machine chamber 12 and/or lines for conducting the refrigerant are to be provided, these being passed into said machine chamber 12. To this end provision is made in the exemplary embodiment for a cable/line bushing box 17 to be configured in an integral manner and thus as a single piece on said lateral first boundary wall 13. Cables and lines 18 a, 18 b and 18 c are shown by way of example.

The box 17 has a cuboid shape and is also arranged at an angle a between 30° and 60° to a vertical, which thus extends in the y direction. This is related to a defined longitudinal axis A of the box 17.

Provision is also preferably made for the box 17 go be molded on an outer face 13 a, which therefore faces away from the machine chamber 12 and faces the space in front of the inner container and/or the housing 2. The box 17 thus extends in a raised manner from the outer face 13 a into said space and is therefore arranged outside the machine chamber 12 and thus on the foam side. This means that it is enclosed by foam in the space and thus extends essentially with its dimensions within said space.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective sectional representation of the view in FIG. 3. The box 17 comprises an accommodating receptacle 19 and a cover 20, which is connected as a single piece to the accommodating receptacle 19.

FIG. 5 shows a different perspective of the representation in FIG. 4. It shows the orientation by way of the arrangement of the box 17 relative to the walls 13, 14 and 15.

When the box 17 is in the closed state, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the cover 20 faces the boundary wall 13 and the receptacle 19 faces away from it.

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged representation of the partial section in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, in which the box 17 is arranged.

The cover 20 here is connected by way of film hinges 21 and 22 to the accommodating receptacle 19 and can be pivoted relative thereto. It can also be seen that a groove 23, configured in a raised manner, is molded on an outer face 20 a of the cover 20, which thus faces away from the accommodating receptacle 19. The wall 15 is inserted into and held in said groove 23, which is also configured as a slot projecting in a raised manner from the outer face 20 a. As shown in FIG. 6, when the box 17 is in the closed state, the groove 23 is oriented vertically and thus extends in the y direction. The orientation of the box 17 and therefore also of the cover 20 means that said groove 23 runs as it were across the cover 20 and therefore in particular between two opposing corners of said cover 20.

This orientation and arrangement of the groove 23 and the wall 15 inserted therein, which also bounds the machine chamber 12, means that the outer face 20 a is divided into two almost triangular surface regions or subregions 20 b and 20 c. It can be seen here that, when the box 17 is in the closed state, the subregion 20 b is in the machine chamber 12 and the subregion 20 c extends outside it and is thus arranged in the space, which is filled with foam. It can also be seen that opposing ends 23 a and 23 b of the groove 23 open into adjacently arranged and continuing grooves 24 and 25 outside the cover so an overall groove is formed across the cover, into which the further boundary wall 15 is inserted.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective representation of the boundary wall 13, with the integrated box 17 shown in the opened state here. As shown in this view and also in the enlarged representation in FIG. 8, an at least partially peripheral rib 27 is molded on an inner face 20 d, which faces the receptacle 19 and thus also the internal volume 26 of the box 17 when the box 17 is in the closed state. When the box 17 is in the closed state, said rib 27 engages in the accommodating receptacle 19 so that the cover 20 not only rests on the receptacle 19 but also engages therein. The rib 27 here preferably rests on a platform 35 which is configured on the inner face of the peripheral boundary walls of the receptacle 19.

Provision is also made for the cover to have a latching element 28 on an inner face 20 d facing the accommodating receptacle 19 when the box 17 is in the closed state. The latching element 28 is arranged on the edge face, on which the connection between the cover 20 and the film hinges 21 and 22 is also present. When the box 17 is in the closed state, the latching element 28 engages in a latching mount 29 configured on an inner face of a peripheral first wall of the accommodating receptacle 19. Said latching mount 29 is also arranged adjacent to the film hinges 21 and 22 and is therefore configured in particular on the first wall of the accommodating receptacle, at which the film hinges 21 and 22 also open out.

This latching coupling between the cover and receptacle 19 close to the film hinges 21 and 22 reduces the load on the film hinges 21 and 22 when the box 17 is in the closed state.

Provision is also made for a tab-type latching mount 31 to be configured on an edge face 30 of the cover 20, which is opposite the edge face that opens out at the film hinges 21 and 22. It is configured in such a manner that, when the box 17 is in the closed state, a latching element 32 configured on an outer face of a further lateral wall of the accommodating receptacle 19 engages therein. Said latching element 32 is configured on the peripheral wall or lateral wall of the accommodating receptacle 19 opposite the lateral wall at which the film hinges 21 and 22 open out. A further latching coupling is thus achieved on opposing walls or edge faces in addition to the latching coupling between the latching element 28 and the latching mount 29, so the closed state of the box 17 is particularly advantageously maintained.

FIG. 9 shows the representation in FIG. 8 but looking at the outer face 13 a of the boundary wall 13, so the view here is not outward from the machine chamber 12 but from outside in the direction of the machine chamber 12.

FIG. 10 shows two exemplary embodiments of perspective representations of a sealing element 33, as can be arranged in the box 17. The sealing elements 33 are also cuboidal parts, which can preferably be positioned with a precise fit in all three spatial directions in the box 17 and thus fill the internal volume 26 completely apart from a through passage 34. The through passages 34 are configured axially and based on the respective diameter to hold different cables or lines. The sealing element 33 is thus also a filler.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   1 Domestic refrigeration appliance -   2 Housing -   3 Inner chamber -   4 Inner chamber -   5 Door -   6 Refrigerant compressor -   7 Apparatus -   8 Drip tray -   9 Collection tray -   10 Connecting line -   11 Carrier tray -   12 Machine chamber -   13 Lateral boundary wall -   13 a Outer face -   14 Boundary wall -   15 Boundary wall -   16 Space -   17 Cable/line bushing box -   18 a Cable/line -   18 b Cable/line -   18 c Cable/line -   19 Receptacle -   20 Cover -   20 a Outer face -   20 b Subregion -   20 c Subregion -   21 Film hinge -   22 Film hinge -   23 Groove -   23 a End -   23 b End -   24 Groove -   25 Groove -   26 Internal volume -   27 Rib -   28 Latching element -   29 Latching mount -   30 Edge face -   31 Latching mount -   32 Latching element -   33 Sealing element -   34 Through passage -   35 Platform -   A Longitudinal axis 

1. A domestic refrigeration appliance with a housing, in which is arranged an inner container, which bounds an inner chamber for holding food, and with a machine chamber that is separated from the inner chamber and in which components of a refrigeration circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance are arranged, wherein the machine chamber has a boundary wall on which a cable/line bushing box is arranged for the passage of at least one cable or line from outside the machine chamber into the machine chamber, and the box has an accommodating receptacle and a cover for closing the accommodating receptacle and the cover is connected as a single piece to the accommodating receptacle.
 2. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection between the cover and the accommodating receptacle is at least one film hinge
 3. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1 wherein the box is configured at least with its accommodating receptacle on an outer face of the boundary wall facing away from the machine chamber and extends outward from the outer face facing away from the machine chamber.
 4. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the box is in the closed state, a first subregion of the cover extends in the machine chamber and a second subregion extends outside the machine chamber.
 5. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1 wherein the box is configured as a single piece with the boundary wall.
 6. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover has an at least partially peripheral rib on an inner face facing the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state, said rib resting against inner faces of lateral walls of the accommodating receptacle, in particular resting on a platform on the inner faces of the walls, when the box is in the closed state.
 7. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a latching element on an inner face facing the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state, said latching element engaging in a latching mount on an inner face of a first lateral wall of the accommodating receptacle when the box is in the closed state.
 8. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a tab-type latching mount won an edge face, in which a latching element on an outer face of a second lateral wall of the accommodating receptacle engages when the box is in the closed state.
 9. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one sealing element with a cable/line bushing is arranged as a filler in the box, being arranged with a precise fit at least in two spatial directions, in particular being arranged with a precise fit in three spatial directions, in an inner chamber of the
 10. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a groove for holding a further boundary wall of the machine chamber on an outer face facing away from an inner chamber of the box.
 11. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the groove is oriented vertically when the cover is in the closed state.
 12. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the groove in the cover opens at both ends into external grooves configured to hold the further boundary wall when the cover is in the closed state.
 13. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the further boundary wall is a cardboard wall.
 14. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boundary wall with the box is made of plastic and/or is a side wall.
 15. The domestic refrigeration appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cable/line bushing channel of the box is oriented at an angle between 30° and 70°, in particular between 30° and 60°, to the vertical and/or the box is oriented at an angle between 30° and 70°, in particular between 30° and 60°, to the vertical. 